APEC has many opportunities for students to engage with their peers and the broader power electronics community–so many that navigating them all can be a challenge! Here is a brief overview to help you find your path. Visit the individual pages to learn about the application process and timeline for the various programs.
Student-Only Opportunities
The Student Leader program offers undergraduate and graduate students specializing in power electronics the opportunity to serve as session assistants during Technical and Industry sessions. Instead of simply attending a session, you will be a part of it. This provides a different perspective on the program and is a step towards greater involvement in APEC as your career develops.
The Student Job Fair is a special opportunity to connect with employers who are specifically looking for engineers with your particular interests. This sets it apart from typical university-based job fairs. FREE to all attendees with a student registration.
The Student Demonstration Competition was introduced at APEC 2026 to enable student teams to showcase their cutting-edge projects. Each team presents their work at a dedicated space in the Exposition Hall and is evaluated by a panel of experts.
The Student Attendance Support program provides partial funding ($1250) on a reimbursement basis to enable students to attend and present their papers. This opportunity is only available to authors who are presenting their work.
There are two mentorship opportunities. The PELS Mentorship RoundTables are open to all engineers at any career stage. The PSMA Student Mentorship Program is an extensive program that matches a motivated student with a professional whose expertise aligns with the student’s interests. This program starts before APEC and extends after the conference to support your career development.
Other Activities of Special Interest
MicroMouse is a unique event held every year on Monday evening after the expo hall closes. Autonomous robots compete to navigate a maze in the shortest time. This is one instance of an international series of events. You can try to enter a MicroMouse, or just come watch the excitement!
The Exposition is a tremendous opportunity to find out what’s new on the market. You can expect over 300 exhibitors filling nearly 60,000 sq ft (5600 m2). You can find semiconductor manufacturers, passive component suppliers, test equipment, simulation software, and much more. Also at the exposition, you will find Exhibitor Presentations, in which applications engineers (or other industry practitioners) present special innovations.
There are several networking events, starting with a welcome reception Monday evening. Check out whatever fits your interests and availability.
Of course, many students attend specifically for the technical program. Technical Sessions enable authors of research papers to present their work, either in lecture format or dialogue (poster) format. Industry Sessions are not accompanied by research papers and often are more targeted at practical solutions. Professional Education Seminars, held Sunday and Monday and subject to an additional registration fee, are curated, in-depth educational opportunities presented by experts. The Plenary Session features leaders from industry and academia. Finally, Debate Sessions feature a panel of experts who present two sides of an issue facing the power electronics community, with an opportunity for the audience to join in the discussion.